This article discusses the authors’ impact evaluation of enhanced transition programming on youth recidivism by comparing it with traditional transition services.
Justice-involved youth have a high risk of reoffending after release, indicating the need for evidence-based reentry programming. In this paper, the authors present the results of a two-year post-release non-randomized comparison study. The study examined the impact of enhanced transition programming, delivered through Reentry Intervention and Support for Engagement by Integrating Technology (RISE-IT), on recidivism by comparing two groups, youth who received enhanced vs. traditional transition services in a secure care facility. Enhanced services included: enhanced reception, assessment and classification, transition planning, vocational preparation, merging two worlds curriculum, and 30-day aftercare support. Results indicated that youth who received enhanced services through RISE-IT had significantly lower rates of recidivism. The authors also discuss study limitations and implications for practice, as well as future research. Publisher Abstract Provided